West Virginia diocese releases names of accused priests

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s Roman Catholic archdiocese released the names Thursday of priests or deacons who it said have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse since 1950.

Eleven of the 18 accused clergy are deceased, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston said in a news release. None of the others are in active ministry.

More than 2,000 files containing tens of thousands of documents were reviewed. The diocese hopes the release “will be one of many steps taken to restore trust with parishioners and the broader community in West Virginia,” Wheeling-Charleston Archbishop William Lori said.